Gripper device for tapes



L 1962 H. J. BELLARTS 3,05

GRIPPER DEVICE FOR TAPES Filed Nov. 26, 1951 42 /4 H F] E .4: I I

Z2 h .55 40 J6 Z0 JZ IN V EN TOR. flelzrly Jfiellarzs BY United States Patent States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Filed Nov. 26, 1951, Ser. No. 258,165 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-263) The present invention relates to a device for gripping a solid member, and more specifically to a device for gripping a flat tape.

The copending application of Charles P. Cabell, Serial No. 258,158, filed November 26, 1951, describes apparatus for operating a neutronic reactorwhich uses a gripping device termed a gripper slug. The term gripper slug" is used to indicate a device which is adapted to fit loosely in a process tube of a neutronic reactor and grip a flat tape securely. The present gripper device is suitable for use as a gripper slug in the apparatus described in the above-referred to patent application.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a gripper device adapted to clamp a solid object, particularly an elongated tape. The device must accomplish this object without requiring modifications of the object to be gripped, such as indentations or apertures.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a gripping device with suiiicient mechanical strength to bear relatively large forces.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to the man skilled in the art upon a further reading of the present disclosure, particularly with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the gripper device;

FIGURE 2' is a transverse sectional View taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing the tape gripped within the gripper device;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1 showing the tape gripped within the gripper device; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the same line as FIGURE 3 with the tape removed from the gripper device.

The gripper device consists principally of a cylindrical body 10, a slidable jaw 12 and an eccentric locking pin 14 disposed within the body and the jaw 12.

The body 10 is provided with a longitudinal channel 16 extending therethrough. The channel 16 is open on one side of the body 10'. The body 10 is provided with a pair of ridges 18 and 20 which extend into the channel 16 from opposite sides thereof to shape the channel 16 generally in the form of a T. One surface 19 and 21 of each ridge 1'8 and 20 is disposed upon the same plane and forms one side of a rectangular portion 22 of the channel 16. The other surfaces 24 and 25 of the ridges 18 and 20 flare outwardly with respect to each other and extend to the open side of the body 10. A groove 26 is disposed in one of the surfaces 25 adjacent to the outer surface of the body 10, and extends longitudinally along the entire length of the channel 16. The groove 26 is adapted to receive the tape 28 which is to be gripped.

The jaw .12 is also generally shaped in the form of a T and is slidably disposed within the channel 16. It is provided with indentations 30 and 32 confronting the ridges 18 and 20, respectively, and permitting the jaw 12 to slide laterally as well as longitudinally within the channel 16. A groove 34 is disposed in the jaw confronting the groove 26 in the body 10, so that the tape 28 may be wedged between the two grooves 26 and 34.

The portion of the jaw 12 within the rectangular portion 22 of the channel 16 is also rectangular in shape, and has a cylindrical indentation 35 in its surface oppo- 3,059,303 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 site to the surfaces 19 and 21. A cylindrical aperture 36 extends through the body 10 confronting the recess 35. The eccentric locking pin 14 has two cylindrical portions 3 8 and 40, one of these portions 38 being rotatably disposed within the aperture 36 in the body, and the other portion 40 being rotatably disposed within the indentation 35 in the jaw 12. A square aperture 42 is disposed centrally in the top of the locking pin 14 to accommodate a wrench.

A bore 44 in the jaw 12 contains a spring 48 and a pin 50 which extends from the bore 4.4 to contact the adjacent surface of the body .10. The bore 44 is disposed normal to the axes of the locking pin 14, so that the spring exerts a pressure against the wall of the channel 16, and pushes the jaw 12 away from the surface 25. A handle 52 is fastened to the body to facilitate handling of the gripper device.

When it is desired to aifix the gripper device to the tape 28, a wrench, not shown, is inserted into the square aperture 42 in the locking pin 14, and the locking pin is rotated. This changes the position of the jaw 12 within the channel 16 because of the eccentricity of the two portions 38 and 40 of the locking pin 14. When the locking pin 14 is oriented to the position shown in FIGURE 4, the tape 28 may readily be inserted in the grooves 26 and 34. This may be accomplished most easily from the end of the gripper device in which the spring 48 and pin 50 are disposed, since this end will open the widest. When the tape is inserted into the grooves 26 and 34, the locking pin 14 may then be rotated causing the jaw '12 to assume the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, thus forcing the jaw 12 upon the tape 28 and securing the tape within the gripper device.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that many other modifications and embodiments of the present invention will readily occur to the man skilled in the art, hence it is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited only by the appended claim and not by the specification.

What is claimed is:

A device for gripping a flat tape comprising, in combination, a cylindrical elongated body having a longitudinal channel disposed therein and extending to the periphery of the body, said body having a pair of confronting shoulders forming one side of a rectangular portion of the channel, said channel flaring outwardly from "ice ' said side, said body being provided with a longitudinal groove in the channel forming surface adjacent to the periphery of the body, a jaw having a rectangular portion disposed within the rectangular portion of the channel and a wedge-shaped portion disposed within the outwardly flaring portion of the channel, said jaw being slidably disposed relative to the body in a plane parallel to the plane of the shoulders of the body, said jaw having a longitudinal slot confronting the groove in the body and a flat surface parallel to the plane of the shoulders extending from the slot toward the groove in the body, and a pin having two eccentrically disposed portions, one portion being journalled in the body on an axis normal to the plane of the shoulders and the other portion being journalled in the jaw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 304,963 Shepard et al. Sept. 9, 1884 484,907 Cameron Oct. 25, 1892 21,740,382 Weldon Dec. 17, 1929 1,944,603 Hecker Jan. 23, 1934 2,148,004 Yagich Feb. 21, 1939 2,182,490 De Nol Dec. 5, 1939 

